James Harden did not miss any time on Wednesday after he went down in pain with a bruised left knee, courtesy of a collision with Milwaukee’s Monta Ellis. But he was worried he would be missing playing time soon enough.

He won’t. Harden said he felt much better after Friday’s shootaround and would be able to play against the Orlando Magic. Jeremy Lin, who had said Thursday that he would play, also felt greatly improved after taking off Thursday.

Harden’s status, however, was unclear. He sat out Thursday’s practice, concerned that he would have to miss a game as he did when he similarly banged knees in Sacramento, forcing him to miss the Rockets’ next game in Los Angeles. By Friday’s shootaround, however, he seemed unaffected by the soreness, other than the knee pad he said he would start wearing.

“I’m a little banged up, but I don’t have the time and luxury of sitting out and worrying about the knee,” Harden said. “We have a big goal and that’s to try to make the playoffs. We’ll just ice it up and be ready to go. I was (concerned) because it was in the same spot as the previous injury. Jason Biles, my trainer, did a good job of working with me and icing it. It will be ready.

“I need to start wearing knee pads and shin pads and everything, a whole body suit. It just so happened I got hit in that same spot. I’m definitely going to start wearing knee pads now.”

Lin was held out Thursday because of soreness in the right ankle that has bothered him throughout the season. He said Thursday he would be able to play, but was surprised with how much he improved since then.